Air Conditioning Troubleshooting

No Cool Air…Yikes

When your air conditioner breaks down on a hot summer day it can seem like the end of days, but there is no need to panic. This brief post will explain exactly what you need to do if your air conditioner stops blowing cold air, and how it can troubleshoot and possibly do some at home repairs.

As with any type of home project, we always suggest you contact a professional to assist, otherwise, you could cause more damage if you are not sure what you are doing. Also if you are working with electricity, be sure to turn off all electricity at the breaker box, or better yet contact a professional. We have invited a professional Jason from AC Repair Frisco to show you a few good tips.

Before learning how to repair the unit, a general understanding of how these modern A/C units work needs to be present. An A/C unit that is attached to the home has four key components: The compressor, condenser, thermostat, and evaporator. These parts all work together to displace the air in one’s home by moving the hot air out, and of course the cold air in. Now that we know how an A/C unit works, we can look at how to repair one without having to pay a fortune.

Assess The Unit

The first step in any home improvement repair is to assess the unit. This can be done by anyone and does not require a professional. This may seem obvious, but if the unit is not blowing cold air it can be an issue with the thermostat. If it is not working properly the A/C unit will not be able to cool the home to the desired level. A good way to troubleshoot this is to turn the thermostat down about five degrees. This will force the unit to click on, but if it does not there could be something else wrong.

Check the Condenser

The condenser is the next thing to look at if this is the case. The condenser is located close to the outside of the unit, so no mechanical skills are required to get to it. Now, you’ll know it’s a problem with the condenser if there are any fragments clogging the unit. This debris can range from things as small as dust to as large as weeds. If this seems to be the case it is a very easy repair. All you have to do is clean the blockage, turn the thermostat down, and wait for it to click on. But if it’s still giving you trouble, there are two more things that can be wrong.
The first one is the amount of refrigerant in the unit. This would be the best case scenario because all you would have to do is go out and grab some more refrigerant to cool the house down. This issue can be diagnosed by looking into the refrigerant storage and checking to see if there are ample amounts in the unit. If not… Well, you know what to do. But the last reason is a bit more troubling, and will likely require a professional (unless you’re mechanically inclined). The last area it can be damaged in is the compressor. The compressor’s job is to pump the air through the home and is key in the cooling process. To know whether or not it’s a compressor issue is the easy part, and fixing it is the hard part. To diagnose a faulty compressor you’ll have to see if the flow of air being blown out is as strong as usual, or as cold as usual. Fixing a compressor is not as simple as the previous repairs, and will likely require a professional.